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The history of the decline and fall of the Roman empire / Edward Gibbon ; edited and abridged by David Womersley.

Title: The history of the decline and fall of the Roman empire / Edward Gibbon ; edited and abridged by David Womersley.
Author: Gibbon, Edward, 1737-1794
Publication: London : Penguin, 2000.

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Status	Format	Access	Call Number	Item Location
Request for On-site Use Request Scan Not available - Please for assistance.	Text	Request in advance	DG311 .G55 2000	Off-site

Additional Authors

Womersley, David

Description

xxxix, 795 p.; 20 cm.

Summary

"Edward Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire compresses thirteen turbulent centuries into an epic narrative shot through with insight, irony and incisive character analysis." "Famously sceptical about Christianity, unexpectedly sympathetic to the barbarian invaders and the Byzantine Empire, constantly aware of how political leaders often achieve the exact opposite of what they intend, Gibbon was alert to both the broad pattern of events and the significant revealing detail. Attacked for its enlightened views on politics, sexuality and religion, the first volume was none the less soon to be found 'on every table' and was widely acclaimed for the elegance of its prose. Gripping, powerfully intelligent and wonderfully entertaining, it is the greatest work of history in the English language, and ranks as one of the literary masterpieces of its age."
"This abridgement is based on David Womersley's three-volume Penguin Classics edition of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. Complete chapters from all three volumes, linked by extended bridging passages, capture the style, the argument and the architecture of the whole work."--Jacket.

Series Statement

Penguin classics

Subject

Genre/Form

History

Bibliography (note)

Processing Action (note)

Contents

General Observations on the Fall of the Roman Empire in the West.

ISBN

0140437649

OCLC

Owning Institutions

Harvard Library